***Gratitude - what does this really get me?

How does gratitude work? What's the point of it? Will this new craze of daily gratitude be something that changes my life? If it did, what would it change, how would I be different? Isn't gratitude some kind of religious thing?

Like meditation, gratitude has been sidelined with religious beliefs to be practiced once a week, if you attend some religious facility. However, is it really?

I recovered a note from a friend from 1998:

Thoughts for this week: Abundance:

The answer to problems is not to get more of something from someone or somewhere else: It is to gain more inner awareness

She offered these affirmations as gratitude:

* I live in an abundant universe, my abundant life proceeds from inside me

* I call all of my good to me now

* It is done unto me as I believe

* I claim my power to generate my good.

Gratitude: Show me the gifts I may have overlooked and fill my heart with gratitude for all my many blessings.

So I've been doing this gratitude practice for a few months now, and really noticing some inner changes in myself.
Rather than creating some new abundance or miracles in my life, or more money in the bank etc... (while that has all been increasing as perhaps a side benefit too)

What I've really noticed is my inner life has changed. Like meditation, over time, it makes the changes for you.

Reflecting back on my own inner state:

* Much more optimistic
* Less focus on what I don't have,
* More on what is present around me every day
* The more I'm noticing what is present around me the more is coming to me.

Its like playing with the "field" you know the one - that
"Unified Field" the one where every scenario is possible.
Getting really focused on the what is, alters the inner state and creates a new awareness of what is. Acceptance, and thankfulness seem to be a bi-product of this awareness.

Over time, this too becomes a practice, and done daily, because you can anywhere...it is changing my life.

Things that used to create internal melodramas are simply discarded as distractions before they even begin. Harboring any ill contrived thoughts, really redundant and recognized as such. It gets even easier when you sense the shift within from one of resting, relaxation and simply pleasures of the moment, to one of tension, fear, pandering thoughts that contribute to the mounting challenges...all perceived, not real at all.

When one adds gratitude one drops this other ill-conceived belief that life is challenging, life is hard, life is filled with potential land mines and has no real benefit other than to work endlessly until the end and thankfully drop dead and have a good send off...of course for those left behind to enjoy.

What were we thinking? Doesn't really matter does it? All the belabored angst in the world is missing the simple miracle of gratitude.